Getting Started with Essential Oils

While I’m no expert on essential oils, I’ve developed a serious love for them after using them for about a year now. So, I wanted to share a really basic “getting started” post about how I use them.

If you’re not familiar with essential oils, they’re really concentrated liquids extracted from plants. Each one has a unique scent and a different set of health and wellness benefits. Some of the most common oils are lavender, cinnamon, lemon, peppermint, jasmine, and basil, but there are lots of others, too. There are tons of ways to benefit from the oils, but I’ll mostly talk about the two ways that I use them.

Diffusing

The first way I use essential oils is through the essential oil diffuser in my dorm room. I love my diffuser because I want my room to have a nice scent but I’d rather not use a wall plug-in with lots of chemicals.The diffuser is so easy to use and it takes about 10 seconds to start each time, which is wonderful because if it took much longer, I’d probably never actually use it.

Just pop off the lid and fill the top compartment with water (while admiring how perfectly your nails match the diffuser)…and add a few drops of an essential oil.Return the lid, turn the diffuser on, and let it run. My particular diffuser runs for about 4 hours before the water is gone and it shuts itself off.

I typically start my diffuser when I get back to my room at night or right before I go to bed and it diffuses a few feet away from me while I sleep. My diffuser is this one on Amazon, which I like it because it’s compact, relatively inexpensive, and the glowing colored light can be turned off while I sleep. I was happy with a plain white one for my dorm room, but you can also buy cool ones that match your home’s decor, like this one.Some people buy big sets of essential oils and have fun creating a bunch of combinations for different scents and wellness benefits. Buying a bunch of bottles can get a little pricy, though, and I wanted to stick with the basics so I just have three oils: organic rosemary, lavender, and cinnamon.

Rosemary essential oil is useful for staying focused and alert and it also acts as a decongestant. Lavender has sedative properties, so it helps calm stress and anxiety and promotes sleep. Cinnamon helps maintain a healthy immune system and aids digestion (Source). They all smell great, but lavender is my favorite and the one I always use at nighttime.

Since you only use a couple of drops at a time, one tiny bottle lasts for a longggg time. I’ll probably add more as I go, but for now, three works just fine.

If you’re skeptical of basically everything like I am, you’re probably wondering if the oils actually do anything. I can attest to the fact that the lavender does make me sleepy and the rosemary has definitely helped clear up my allergy congestion in the past. I’m a believer!

Applying To Your Skin

You can also apply essential oils to your skin, but it’s important to dilute them first for safety reasons (safety info here). They act as a natural perfume and you also get all of the particular oil’s great health benefits. You can create your own combination of diluted essential oils or you can also buy a roll-on bottle, like this one. You can apply them to your wrists or the base of your neck to relieve stress, stay alert, etc. I have two of these really convenient roll-on bottles and this particular one is a blend of coconut oil, sage, jasmine, rose, ylang ylang, and lavender. I keep it in my backpack and it’s like a natural roll-on perfume and something to breathe in that helps relieve stress, all in one.

There are tons of other ways to use essential oils like adding a couple of drops to a bath or using them when making your own natural cleaning products (which this college girl does not do. Maybe some day…) If you’re interested in other ways to use essential oils, this article gives 150 ways to use them! Hope you enjoyed this little peek into my very simple use of essential oils!

So tell me…
Do you use essential oils? If so, how do you use them? What’s your favorite oil or blend of oils?
Do you use any other natural wellness products?
What’s one of your favorite scents?

Your mom is the best! My Easter basket is always full of lots of small-sized things other than treats, too, which I love (although I still love getting dark chocolate!). I actually got my roll-on essential oils in my Easter basket this year, too 🙂

My aunt just got into essential oils and loves them, so I’m less skeptical than I was 🙂 She has a bunch, as well as a little guide book that tells you how to use them for basically any ailment. I’d definitely try them!Ellen @ My Uncommon Everyday recently posted…Thinking Out Loud #50

I am so obsessed with my oil diffuser. I diffuse lavender every night before bed and have an incredible plumeria one right now that I diffuse all day long.Diana @ Live Lean Eat Green recently posted…Mother’s Day Gift Guide!

I’ll admit I had to just look up plumeria, but wow, sounds incredible! I love the rare times when I’m in my room in the morning or afternoon and can diffuse something other than the sleepy lavender oil 🙂

This looks like so much fun, I’d love to give it a go. I use scented candles to make my room smell nice but then I’m super paranoid the whole time it is lit. I almost took it into the bathroom with me yesterday 😛Megan recently posted…A day in the life of me…

Mmmm yes! Someday when I’m not living in a dorm (we can’t have scented candles!) I’d love to find a bunch of naturally scented candles! Although I’m with you, I’d probably be a little paranoid too haha.

I have never used essential oils except when they are in my hand soap =P I like lighting candles to get a room to smell/feel nice. I actually eat breakfast with a candle lit and really enjoy that experience. My mom inherited a boutique that had this other essential oils side part so she has a lot of them now and no idea what to do with them. Maybe I’ll ask her for some!Ellie recently posted…WIAW [Vegans Are Family]

i researched them a bit over winter break, but found so much info i decided to wait until summer to research more before i buy them – i want to know my source really well 🙂
right now, i have tea tree oil that i bought for its antiseptic proporties, and some oils i bought in australia last year, that i use to make deodorant. i have had that photographed for a while and need to post that! hah. where did you buy that roll on? i definitely want a diffuser when i finally buy them thoough!

I’ve never used essential oils, but I like the sound of them working as decongestants! My mom absolutely hates anything scented, so I grew up with everything unscented. As an adult, I’m slowly introducing different scented items into my life!Rebecca @ Vitamin OH! recently posted…Vermont City Marathon Training: Week 1

I think it’s awesome how we can use the oils from God’s plants for so many different things. I do love the smells, but I don’t use them that much. My favorites are lemon, lavender, and orange. We have a diffuser at church, and it smells SO GOOD!Emily recently posted…Have You Ever Been Arrested?

Hi! I LOVE essential oils! 🙂 I decided to go with Young Living essential oils because I found through lots of research that they are one of the few companies that do NOT use synthetic chemicals to make their oils. So many other companies add fillers or nasty stuff that can potentially cause our bodies more harm than good:( If it says on the label to not ingest or take internally, or if it has an expiration date on it then it means it is synthetic! If you want to know more about Young Living and what sets them apart from other companies, let me know and I would be happy to chat with you! 🙂

I also have little essential oil diffuser. I love how it changes color too. It is very relaxing and mesmerizing to watch also. It allows me to use my favorite oil, peppermint and sends the yummy fragrance throughout my house..

Oh, how much do I love essential oils? They clean, disinfect and make the whole house smell better. I use them for cleaning the house and my body. You are right though sometimes there is too much info on a subject. Great job on boiling it down to the essentials though.Susan @ PickMyHumidifier recently posted…Benefits when using Humidifier for baby

Oh, how much do I love essential oils? They clean, disinfect and make the whole house smell better. I use them for cleaning the house and my body. You are right though sometimes there is too much info on a subject. Great job on boiling it down to the essentials though..

Hye Liv…
I really like your article…Keep posting valuable information for us…
Very informative and extremely interesting!thank you very much for sharing great tips and tricks . I’ve been using essential oil for more than a year.
Essential oils are totally purifying and a tremendous piece of my evening time routine!!!

I have learned new things from this post. Doing an experiment gives us the inspiration of new invention. Thanks for sharing the ideas with us. Carry on!!! Your site will be more informative and more useful to your readers.jone doe recently posted…Combi Double Stroller

My close relative just got into fundamental oils and adores them, so I’m less suspicious than I was. She has a pack and in addition, a little manual that lets you know how to utilize them for essentially any infirmity. I’d certainly attempt them!

At first, I was a non-believer too and now, after a quite thorough research, I’m all hooked! I simply love using and smelling essential oils 🙂 I love floral and citrus oils, and I like to play with them and get really interesting perfumes. I also like to use some of their correspondent powders in masks, for example.

I’m just starting to do my research on essential oils. I’ve haad so much conflicting information about their benefits and dangers that for a while I put if off my mind and oncentrated on natural herbs and multi-vitamins. But this is some really goon and constructive information.

PS: I love the color on your nails. And yes they match beautifully with your diffuser.

Great Article ! Extremely useful and helpful , you got very interesting content I’m sure that I’ll return to get more useful information at this site ,
All I want to say really appreciate thanks for your sharing !

The way you describe, it’s seen very easy to use a diffuser. I thought it will be very difficult to understand how to use one. The last one I had was a combo of humidifier and diffuser. It was hard to operate. That’s why I was looking for a new one. Thanks to you I finally found one.

I use essential oils as a natural remedy for headaches and migraines and it gives a calming effect on the nervous system. Peppermint and eucalyptus oil are some of the most effective for this purpose. I inhale the oil or apply it topically around the neck or on the sides of the head. It is very effective and useful. It is the natural way to relieve the pain.

But I have never used the diffuser. I would love to use it. Thanks for such helpful article.

When I first started using essential oils I had NO idea what I was doing. Put them in a diffuser. Dab a little behind your ears, wrists, or anywhere on your skin. Take a whiff. Enjoy your essential oils by quickly getting a sniff of your favorite scent anytime during the day!

I ordered for lavender oil product over the others, based on appearance and reviews. One reviewer, in particular, said they could “not believe how small it was.” Based on that review I was expecting a teeny tiny little thing. This diffuser is very easy to operate, works amazingly well is very attractive and it is not as small as I was expecting.

Great post for beginners! You mentioned that we dilute most oils before directly applying them. Are there any particular carrier oils that you recommend or does it vary depending on what you are mixing?

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name *

Email *

Website

Rating

Current ye@r *

Leave this field empty

Welcome!

Hi there, I’m Liv! I started blogging during my first year of college at UNC-Chapel Hill to share recipes easy enough for a dorm kitchen. Thankfully, I’m no longer cooking in a dorm, but my goal is still to share simple, delicious recipes that don’t take too much of your time. Most often, you can find me running, eating ice cream, and making a mess in my kitchen. Read more…